East Kerry, both Divisional and Club sides, have a long and successful association with the Kerry Senior Football Championship (Bishop Moynihan Trophy) stretching way back to the first championship in 1889 when Dr. Crokes reached the final only to go under to Laune Rangers.

A quick jog down memory lane charts the progress of local sides since that historic day in May 1889.

1890’s: Barraduff, Rathmore, Dr. Crokes, Cordal , Rathmore, Ballyhar, Muckross, Firies and Currans all took part.

1900’s: Dr. Crokes won their first title in 1901, defeating Cahirciveen. Other teams that took part early in the century included Aghadoe, Kilcummin, Glenflesk, Fossa, Currans, Farranfore, Currow, Cordal and Rathmore.

Dr. Crokes won three titles on the trot in 1912 (defeated Tralee Parnells, Captain Dick Fitzgerald), 1913 (defeated Kilcummin, Captain Paddy Dillon), 1914 (defeated Tralee Mitchels, Captain Dick Fitzgerald).

Farranfore were defeated in the finals of 1916, 1917, Glenflesk were defeated in the 1918 final.

1930’s: saw the emergence of Divisional sides, with East Kerry, Dr. Crokes, Killarney and Listry all featuring during the decade.

1940’s: was a good decade for East Kerry teams with Legion, who were defeated in the 1945 final by Shannon Rangers, coming back to win the 1946 final when captained by Mickey Lyne. Killarney, captained by Tim Healy, defeated John Mitchels to win the 1949 final.

1950’s: saw the emergence of Dick Fitzgerald’s who defeated Dingle to win the 1951 title when captained by Teddy O’ Connor. Eoghan Ruadhs, Kilcummin, Legion and East Kerry also took part during the 50’s. That famous “Dicks” side lined out as follows: Donal “Marcus” O’ Neill, Teddy O’ Connor, Billy Fleming, Donie Murphy, Andrew Larkin, Mick Larkin, Paddy Tangney, Michael O’ Leary, Pa Joe Teahan, Con Riordan, Dan Kavanagh, Tadhgie Lyne, Denis Fleming, Donal Prendiville, Gerald Teahan.

1960’s: saw the Division represented by one team, East Kerry, who emerged as the Championship specialists, winning the 1965 title at the expense of Mid Kerry when captained by Donal “Socky” Lynch, and going on to win 3-in-a-row from 1968 to 1970, all at the expense of Waterville, who included the likes of Mick O’ Connell and Mick O’ Dwyer in their ranks.

For the record, the scores were as follows:
1968: East Kerry 6-8, Waterville 1-9 Captain: Weeshie Fogarty
1969: East Kerry 2-7, Waterville 1-8 Captain: Eamonn Fitzgerald
1970: East Kerry 1-15, Waterville 0-15 Captain: Mick Gleeson

The 1968 team lined out as follows: Weeshie Fogarty, Jerry McCarthy, Derry Crowley, Florry O’ Mahony, Mick Gleeson, Donie O’ Sullivan, Jer O’ Donoghue, Tim Sheehan, Pat Moynihan, John Saunders, D.J. Crowley, Larry Kelly, Michael Lyne, Tom Long, Johnny Cullotty.

County Championship Photographs  -  (Click to Enlarge)

Success continued in 1971 when East Kerry won the inaugural All-Ireland Club championship, defeating Gracefield of Offaly in the Semi-Final and Bryansford of Down in the final in Croke Park on a 5-9 to 2-7 scoreline. That historic team - it was the first and the last time a Divisional side were allowed enter the competition - lined out as follows:
Eamonn Fitzgerald, Donie O’ Sullivan , Derry Crowley, Jim Gleeson, Gerald Cullinane , Noel Power, Jer O’ Donoghue, Pat Casey, Pat Moynihan, Paddy O’ Donoghue, Dan O’ Keeffe, Denny Healy, Denis Coffey, Mick Gleeson (Capt), Donal Kavanagh.

East Kerry’s unrivalled success was to be their downfall, however, and the breakup of the strong Divisional side came in the early 70’s with Eoghan Ruadhs, Killarney, Dr.Crokes, Spa, and Na Fianna all taking part during the remainder of the decade.

The 1980’s saw even further meltdown with Killarney, Eoghan Ruadh, Spa, Na Fianna, Spa/Glenflesk, Gneeveguilla, Clanna Gael, Dr.Crokes, and Gweestin Rangers all featuring at one stage or another.

Killarney (Dr.Crokes/Legion) defied the odds in 1983 by capturing the title when defeating Feale Rangers after a replay, 0-10 to 1-4. The Killarney team lined out as follows: Richard O’ Brien, Mike Doody, Brendan Keogh, Liam Hartnett, Connie Carroll, Padraig Brosnan, John Clifford, Josie O’ Donoghue (Capt), Mike O’ Grady, Diarmuid O’ Donoghue, Pa O’ Donoghue, Colm Galvin, P.J. O’ Leary, Mike Buckley, Johnny O’ Donoghue.

Killarney (Spa/Legion) were defeated in the 1986 final by Austin Stacks, and the re-emerging Dr.Crokes were defeated in the finals of ’87 and ’88 by Kenmare and St.Kierans respectively. St.Kierans of course included players from Scartaglen, Currow and Cordal and had the charismatic Mick Galwey in their team.

1990s brought renewed success to the Division with Dr. Crokes showing the way in 1991 by defeating Desmonds by 2-10 to 1-10 with the following team: Peter O’ Brien, John Clifford, Liam Hartnett, Sean Clarke, Padraig O’ Shea, John Galvin, Colm O’ Shea, Noel O’ Leary, Connie Murphy, Connie Doherty, Roland Neher, Seanie O’ Shea (Capt), Pat O’ Shea, Vince Casey, Ger O’ Shea.

Dr. Crokes went on to secure the All-Ireland Club title when defeating Thomas Davis of Dublin in Croke Park on a 1-11 to 0-13 scoreline.

Austin Stacks defeated Dr.Crokes in the 1994 final after a replay, but ominously, East Kerry were regrouping and though defeated by Laune Rangers in the 1995 final (1-7 to 0-6), the addition of players from Spa and Gneeveguilla in 1997 was just the tonic the Divisional side needed.

East Kerry went on to record a three-in-a-row for the second time as follows:
1997: East Kerry 1-11 Laune Rangers 0-8
1998: East Kerry 2-13 St.Kierans 1-10
1999: East Kerry 0-10 Feale Rangers 1-6

In the process, John Crowley of Glenflesk became the first man since Joe Barrett of Rock St. (1929-32) to captain 3 County Championship winning sides in a row.

The 1997 East Kerry team lined out as follows: Declan O’ Keeffe, Tom O’ Sullivan, Niall Mangan, Anthony Morris, Micheal O’ Donoghue, Seamus Moynihan, Eoin Doherty, Donal Daly, Con O’ Connor, Denis Moynihan, Mossie Cronin, Michael D. Cahill, Paud O’ Donoghue, John Crowley, Jerry Murphy

2000’s: Changes to the rules for County Championship entry saw the demise of the great East Kerry side of the late 1990’s with Kilcummin, Rathmore and Glenflesk all going their separate ways. Dr. Crokes got the new century off to the perfect start, however, when they defeated An Gaeltacht in a low scoring final.

Dr. Crokes lined out as follows:
Peter O’ Brien, Donal Kavanagh, James Cahillane, Vince Cooper, Larry Madden, Danny Cooper, Eanna Kavanagh, David Moloney, Eoin Brosnan, Vince Casey, Roland Neher, James Fleming, Pat O’ Shea, Connie Murphy and Colm Cooper.

At present, Dr. Crokes, Kilcummin and Rathmore take part in the senior County Championship on their own. East Kerry is made up of players from Fossa, Firies,Glenflesk, Gneeveguilla, Listry, Legion and Spa. Cordal, Currow and Scartaglen play with St. Kierans, a Divisional side made up of clubs in the Castleisland area.